Just over a decade ago, a lotto trick showing how to select lucky lottery numbers appeared on TV. A Hamilton man saw the trick and decided to use the method to select his lottery numbers. It’s a good thing he did, as the trick paid off and he has won $6.3 million on Powerball.

"In the show they talked about how your birthdate could be used to create lucky numbers. Something about it stuck with me and a couple of months ago I decided to give it a try on my Lotto ticket," said the man.

The winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said, "It's an amazing feeling knowing that I'm now able to buy my own home and help others – that's what's most exciting thing about this win.

"I've been playing Lotto for a year or so and I always said that the first thing I would do is buy a house – and that hasn't changed!"

Speaking to lottery officials while claiming his lucky Powerball win, he told them that he had no idea about the win until someone at work mentioned a local winner.

"He was talking about the recent Powerball win and it reminded me that I still hadn't checked my ticket yet," said the elated winner.

"So that night, I looked up the winning Powerball lottery numbers online and when I noticed that they looked familiar, I grabbed my ticket and checked the numbers off – the winning numbers really did jump out at me."

Like most lottery winners, his first reaction was total disbelief.

"Honestly I didn't really believe it at first – I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, that it was a bit of an optical illusion or something," he said. "I checked and rechecked the ticket quite a few times before it began to sink in."

Once the fact that he had in fact just become an instant multi-millionaire thanks to playing the Powerball, he said he felt extremely anxious.

"I was in so much shock I just paced the room for a while – I probably wore down the floorboards," he said.

"Even though I was sure I had the winning ticket, I wanted to put my mind at ease so I decided to get up early and go for drive out of town to check my ticket at a Lotto store.

"I'll never forget what it felt like when that winning music played – it was a life-changing moment."

Plans for the Powerball lottery win

The lucky Powerball lottery winner said that with the money now safely in his bank account, he is planning to take his time deciding what he wants to do next.

"I want to keep life as normal as possible. I love my job so there won't be any changes there. I'm just going to take some time to let everything sink in and take things one day at a time.

"This win has given me the financial freedom I never thought I would have. I can now buy my first house and use the winnings to help others.

"I feel incredibly blessed — it really feels like a dream come true."

The lucky ticket was sold at Glenview Centre Lotto & Post in Hamilton and is the second Powerball win in less than 12 months for the lucky Hamilton store, with a $4.25 million prize won in November 2017.